PTL: City of Legend More Than Meets The Eye
by PTL-Series
Summary: Micha ends up going to the social function and is introduced to those that are most curious about the newest citizen of Legend - more so than they let on


  


**Previously on "City of Legend"**   
_The man that had ended up on Mike's backdoor is being tended back to health and Micha gets the invitation to the City Hall party, one she cannot miss so that the man's pressence isn't discovered before he was ready. There's just one problem... can he be trusted or is there another that means Micha harm?_

And now... the show. 

Micha left the house - not because she wanted to but because neither she nor Adam really wanted people traversing the house right now. 

_It was odd_, she thought to herself, making her way toward City Hall, but she had accepted his presence in the house. They were still digging to find out clues to his real identity, as well as her family background, but... _well she trusted him_. Without knowing anything about who he really was - or maybe it was because what she knew about him had nothing to do with an identity - she knew that she was safe. That Adam wasn't really an escaped loon or something. 

A few minutes later and turning her car onto the main road that lead to the Hall, she couldn't resist looking at the cell phone she had laid out, just in case he needed anything, and then at the road. The Hall was coming into view and it was obvious that something big was happening. Even from where she was at there were expensive cars, and a valet was working. 

"Oh geesh." she mentally rolled her eyes. It was a 'toy' comparison night among the guys it seemed. Who had the most expensive car/suit/jewelry. 

She pulled up to the front of the building and cut the engine, tucking the cell phone into her evening bag before the valet stepped around to the driver's door and opened it for her, smiling and helping her out. 

Micha wore a simple yet elegant black dress, off the shoulder with a black velvet wrap, the skirt ending at just above her knees and a comfortable enough heel in matching black dress shoes. She accented the outfit with a pair of diamond earring studs, matching silver necklace with a solitaire diamond and her hair held up on her head in an almost Victorian fashion and soft curls with matching combs. 

The valet drove her car off to park it and she entered the main doors, being led by an actual Door Master to the main gathering. 

She even heard an actual orchestra in the background.   
  
  


Drake Weinstin had been at the gathering for some time, awaiting the arrival of the woman Jameson had told him of. At the moment he was standing out on one of the terraces with his trusted accomplice Sasha, telling her of the business deal he hoped to strike during the evening. 

"You remember, the late Mrs. Stoehr?" Weinstin asked "She willed away her estate to her only living blood relative, a Ms. Morgan, who will be present tonight. I'm hoping that she is more inclined to sell the property than her predecessor was." 

A slight scowl came to Weinstin's face when he thought of the dearly departed Stohr. There was no doubt in his mind that her reason for willing the property was to keep it off the auction block and out of his hands. 

Watching the people inside, Sasha was amused by the veneer of friendliness they each exhibited. 

Turning her head back to Drake, she shrugged, a slight movement of her bare, white shoulders. 

"I would not give it too much concern, my dear. I'm sure that this Morgan woman will be quite simple to deal with-you can be terribly persuasive when it comes to getting what you want." Sasha considered this situation to be a minor irritation at best, and quickly resolved.   
  
  


Micha had just accepted a glass of ginger ale when she heard a low wolf whistle and turned "Tristan. Don't tell me... you're an elbow rubber?" 

Tristan managed a slow grin as he came over "No way but you look like you could very well be in your element." 

She took a sip of her drink before pointing out "A reporter, even if I am a photographer that also works as a reporter, has to blend in no matter where she's at. And seeing as your opinion of this place and occasion wasn't all that stellar... why are you here?" 

He was here because he knew some-thing was here, but wasn't going to tell Mike that. So, instead, he settled on the secondary truth and shrugged his jacketed shoulders "I was curious to know how you would make out. That and to give you back up if you decide to slip out like you planned." 

"Thank you." Micha chuckled, taking another sip. 

"Miss Morgan, what a pleasure to see you made it." the director of the Orphanage spotted her from the group of people he had been talking to, his voice loud enough to draw others' attention to the fact the newest resident of Legend had arrived but not so much that it was obnoxious. 

_Oh well, ready or not_... Micha thought as they were then greeted, one by one, to the more... elite of the town's society. 

Tristan, for his part, stayed by her side, his dark gaze scanning the crowd for any clue as to the identity of the ones he was looking for. 

Jameson picked up on the name immediately, and just as he was instructed, went off to find Weinstin. 

"Sir," the toadying accountant called out to his employer once he found him. "Ms. Morgan has arrived." 

"Where is she?" Weinstin asked, putting on his business face. 

"In the ballroom, sir." Jameson said. "With the director of the Orphanage." 

Weinstin was familiar with this person, as he had, in the past, made a few sizable donations to the Orphanage to keep up the public image that he had found to be most important. 

"Shall we?" he asked Sasha. 

Sasha placed her hand in the crook of Drake's arm and the two made their way back indoors and slowly headed towards the Director, whom she recalled only vaguely, and without much interest. 

These people simply weren't very important to her. Except of course, as play-things. And, she thought with a cold smile, prey.   
  
  


Micha was listening to what the Director was saying about what the money had already been put to use for, unaware of the three that were approached from behind. 

"That's her." Jameson whispered as he pointed to the brunette speaking with the director. "And with the amount she donated to the orphanage today, I think the director's found himself a new best friend." 

Weinstin shot his accountant a look that said "scram" which sent him away. Coming up behind Ms. Morgan, he released himself from Sasha and introduced himself into the conversation. 

"Director Matthews, It is always a pleasure to see you," he said with the tact of a cunning politician. "Would this happen to be the charitable soul that I've heard about?" 

As he turned his head, Weinstin saw the face of Ms. Morgan for the first time. He could only stand aghast as the flash of recognition came to him. He knew that face. It was one that he had not beheld for ages, and yet dreamed of every day for over a millennium. 

"Michaela?" he mouthed. 

Micha looked at him, a little confused "Yes..... have we met?" 

Weinstin blinked momentarily and quickly regained his composure "N-no, I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting formally yet, but you'll find that news travels swiftly in our little town." 

"My name is Drake Weinstin." he said, with a charming smile, extending his hand. 

Micha couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else to his initial reaction but put it in the back of her mind as she shook his hand and then withdrew it, turning their attention to the Director "I was just being told that our money was going toward some good."   
  
  


Sasha glanced again at the small group of people before her as Drake introduced himself and was a bit startled as she felt him tense. She followed his line of sight...to the Morgan women. 

A bit perplexed at why Drake seemed to be unsettled, she found her gaze drawn to the man at the brunette's side. 

_Him!_ Eyes narrowing dangerously, she let Drake slip out of her mind as she recognized this particular guest from the other evening. She had not had the chance to set her plan for retribution in motion, but that hardly meant she'd forgotten what this arrogant little worm had cost her. 

A smile spread across her lips as she took a step closer to him, extending her hand. 

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr....uhm," she let her voice trail off, the warmth of her smile never reaching the icy coldness of her blue eyes. 

"Just call me Tristan." he said, accepting her hand and shaking it, all the while never giving away the reaction he had at touching her flesh. Was she the one...? 

_Tristan_...Sasha's thoughts were triumphant. She could hardly believe her luck at running into him, here of all places. 

"Sasha." her low voice was almost a purr as she released his hand. 

_The party had just increased its appeal_. 

As for Tristan, he was keeping his eye on Mike and the guy that had joined her, even as he kept a careful but indiscreet eye on the woman that was now, it seemed, sizing him up. He signaled for a waiter and offered her a glass of the wine he brought over.   
  
  
  


Adam was reclined in the large bed reading a thick volume from the library open on his lap. He had been reading the escavation of an ancient Hindu temple since Michaela left. The items that had been recovered were absolutely fascinating and Adam was thoroughly engrossed in the pages of the volume. 

Once he finished the this section, Adam marked his place and closed the book putting it on the table. He was tired. It didn't seem to take all that much to tire him out these days. 

Adam felt sleep slipping up on him only minutes after settling against the down pillow. He welcomed this feeling of drifting away. It was pleasant and warm. 

Then suddenly, without warning, he was jerked violently out of this blissful place. The darkness of his eyelids was replaced with a bright room filled with people. Michaela was there talking to a man. 

Then, swiftly, the room was gone - but the man was still there, except now in a car, berating a young boy and then standing alone on a stormy night, a menacing look on his face. 

Adam immediately broke into a cold sweat as he stared into the man's eyes. There was something dangerous about the man, but before Adam could put his finger on what, the vision of that man with Michaela came to him again. 

The man was...touching her and that made Adam feel sick and frightened at the same time. He wasn't sure how, but he knew the man was dangerous. He knew the man would hurt Michaela if given the chance - he had hurt others without regard. 

Adam sat straight up in bed looking around the room, which was just as it had been when he was reading. His heart pounded in his chest as he fumbled to turn on the light and grabbed the phone. With shaking fingers he dialed the cell phone number that still sat on the pad by his bed and listened as it rang. 

_What if it was too late?_

Micha was just being asked about something in regards to her Aunt's house when the cell phone rang. 

"Excuse me, please." she said, nodding at both the Director and Mister Weinstin as she opened her purse and stepped out into the hallway. She saw it was her home phone and so knew it was Adam. 

And for him to have called.... 

Her gaze was worried as she answered the phone, holding it close to her ear and bending a little to drown out the background noise and music "Adam?" 

"Get out of there," he said in answer to her. "Now!" 

His tone, much less what he said, made her blink in surprise, but she continued to keep her voice down, this time covering her other ear as she asked with some concern, "Adam , what's wrong? Are you okay?" 

"Yes - no," Adam said feeling slightly frantic. "Please come home, you aren't safe with him. He's dangerous." 

Michaela could hear the very real fear in his tone and although she didn't know who he was talking about her gaze went up, only to spot Drake Weinstin.... 

"Okay Adam," she promised. "I'm on my way, all right?" 

She kept her tone down and lowered her gaze, not wanting to draw attention to herself. 

Unfortunately, that didn't happen and Drake stepped up to her. 

"So, Ms. Morgan," he asked, his expression friendly and gaze reflecting a small measure of curiosity as to the phone call but not asking as it would be in poor taste. "Have you managed to get your bearings in Legend yet?" 

Adam recognized the voice and felt his stomach tense. 

Micha lifted her gaze to let him see that she was still on the phone, to which he quietly apologized for. 

"Adam?" she spoke into the phone, wondering if he was still there. 

"Yes I'm here, why are you STILL there?" he asked. "Please, Michaela, that man who's talking with you, he is very very dangerous." 

Tristan looked over just then and excused himself from the woman's presence before making his way over to Mike. "Everything okay?" 

"Actually, no." Micha said, raising her finger for him to wait a moment while she spoke into the phone. "I'm on my way now. I'll be there in ten minutes tops." 

She then hung up and apologized to Drake, "I'm sorry, I have to leave. Could you give my regards to the Director? I'll come by his office sometime to talk about plans." 

Then to Tristan, "I need to get home." 

He nodded in understanding. It obviously had something to do with her friend. Thing was, Tristan didn't want to hang around there anymore either. Call it instinct or follow the leader, but he felt like he needed to get out of there too. 

"I need to split anyway." He said. "Let me walk you out to your car." 

"Sure." Micha said, managing an apologetic smile for Weinstin and whoever else would have been looking their way at the moment.   
  
  
  


Weinstin looked intently at Michaela as she left. 

There was no doubt that she was the incarnate of the one he had lost so long ago.   
  
  
  


It took nine minutes for her to get into her car and to the house. 

_The way Adam had sounded..... _ Just then the night skies opened up its floodgates as it started to storm. 

Micha looked up at the sky and the lightening shooting from the dark clouds, her blue gaze troubled. 

She did not like storms. _Not since that night a few years ago_... 

A moment later she saw the house and started to pull into the driveway, reaching over to press the button that was supposed to lift the garage door........ and didn't. 

"Why doesn't that surprised me." she muttered, opting to park the car in front of the garage and opening the door. 

She gasped when she did, the cold rain and sudden wind hitting her full force and making her almost fall back into the driver's seat. If it weren't for the fact she had held on to the door, she would have. 

As it was, she only managed to get soaked as she closed the door and, walking against the rain, started toward the house..... 

....... and like all the other times since she had experienced that nightmare four years ago she felt her heart pounding in her rib cage and her breath came in tight gasps, fighting against the unseen but always felt darkness she experienced with the dream. 

She was shaking by the time she reached the kitchen door and tried digging for the keys in her purse before dropping it to the ground. 

"Damn!" she choked out, just as another bolt of lightening crackled overhead, making her shrink against the door frame as she hit against the kitchen door "Adam!" 

Adam had gotten up as soon as they got off the phone and was pacing through the front rooms of the house keeping an eye out for her. He had seen the car pull up and now heard the muffled cry. 

Despite his pain he rushed to the back door flinging it open. What he saw made him freeze.   


_ .....Oh god... she hated this!_

Micha dropped to her knees and started to dig around in the grass, not even aware that Adam was there and maybe saying something to her. 

_He knew this! Knew her! _ _He had seen her in this storm before and she had died! _Adam rushed forward throwing himself protectively around her and then scooped her up, using all his adrynaline to get her into the house. 

"Julia? Oh my God, Julia! It's all right, your safe...your safe."   


.........Again the images flashed in her minds eye -- _running, trying to escape something that wanted her very soul. She had to get away from the others - there were other people around, innocent people. The... the... the demon wanted HER!_

_There was someone that could help her - _Micha thought, the nightmare playing out before her as her fingers convulsed into the dirty soil - _if she could just get to him! She'd be safe....._

"Derek." she whispered the name on a sob, just like she always had, not even knowing who this person was but having heard the name in the nightmare, echoing throughout the dream as it escalated even now. 

"I'm here." Adam told her, a flood of memories filling his mind all at once in a confusing jumble. He felt as though he might pass out, but he knew he couldn't. So, he stood there holding her tightly "I'm here, it's all right now." 

He kissed her wet forehead and held her close, beginning to shake himself.   


_ .......The... **thing** was near. She couldn't see it but knew it was drawing closer!_

Micha looked up at Adam, blue gaze torn as, the nightmare still playing out in her thoughts she looked to him for help and in confusion, tears rolling down her eyes and mingling with the rain that had fallen from outside.   
Unbeknownst to Micheala and ignoring the sudden storm, Weinstin had followed her after her abrupt departure form the ball. Telling Sasha he would return shortly, he had stepped out onto an empty terrace and taken the form of a raven, his large black form under the cover of night as he flew, following her as she drove home. 

Then, once they had arrived , he had perched on the railing of the porch, watching intensely as she began to experience some kind of episode, falling to her knees before she was assisted by... 

_Derek Rayne!_ The name burned deep in Weinstin's senses. 

He thought he had seen the last of that human in the catacombs under the Legacy House in San Francisco. Anger boiled up in him as he watched his mortal and immortal enemy help Micheala into her house. 

_For a mortal, this man is quite difficult to kill._

Enraged, Weinstin's raven form let out an angry squawk that was quickly taken into the storming night as he spread his wings and flew back to City Hall. 

**_Inside the house...._**

Derek Rayne pushed the long strands of soaked hair away from her face and looked down into her eyes. 

"It's all right Julia," he repeated "your safe...it's over...your safe." 

"Julia....?" she whispered, only to squeeze her eyes closed and lean against him. _What the hell was happening?_

She felt herself - no, she felt both of them shaking. As if he knew exactly what it was she had seen, had experienced it himself..... 

....... _and she had called him Derek_. 

Derek's mind spun. _No, this wasn't Julia, Julia was dead, yes she was dead and it had been his fault for sending her off on her own, without even the safety net of a cell that would work in Ireland. This was someone else....but they looked so much a like...._

"M-Michaela." he managed, still holding her very tightly as he guided her into the small den off the kitchen and to the couch. 

This was the first time anyone had ever seen her reaction to storms, and a part of her felt foolish even though that part was quickly quieted by the rest of what was happening came to the fore. 

Something had scared him earlier, enough to call her and get her home... and now this. She sat but was pretty sure they were both relying on the other right then. Micha kept her eyes closed and even as they sat, her her head leaned against him. 

It wasn't that she was weak -- but damned if she wasn't confused. And the nightmare, while usually popping up on her while she slept, had always had this affect on her. She had just been more successful in hiding it from people. 

"You... you remember." she murmured a moment later, lifting her head just enough to meet his gaze, the hold of the dream loosening its grip on her for the most part. Did he remember something... or everything? 

And who was Julia? 

"Yes," Derek replied hesitantly. However, some things were still eluding him, like how he came to be here for instance. Still others were far too vivid and things he thought that would have been better forgotten. 

He looked down at Michaela curiously "How did you know my name?" 

She raised her hands and started to rub her arms, careful even now as she remembered his injury and tried not to put too much weight on him. 

"I... I didn't," she admitted quietly "I just knew.. he'd help me if I could get to him... in my dream." 

Derek nodded slowly, the entire thing making no sense at all. Here was Julia, but she wasn't? "How often do you have this dream?" 

Micha sighed and shrugged a little "Ever since that first night... I was home and asleep and I could have sworn it was storming.. and no matter how hard I tried to wake up from it..... I couldn't." 

She shook her head and continued "I've had it for the most part during bad storms. 

"This.. this is the first time I've had it and been awake though...." she admitted quietly before asking "Did.. this Julia -- did she look like me?" 

_Twins_..... the word echoed in her mind, from the Book of Shadows she had read in the hidden library. 

_What were the odds though?_

Derek ran a hand across his face remaining silent for a moment before answering. 

"Yes very much like you." Derek told her " How long ago did the dreams start?" 

"About four years ago..." she replied before slowly straightening and looking at him -- and feeling a mixture of guilt and something else she wasn't ready to put a name to "Are you okay? I didn't mean to make you.. well..." 

Derek's mouth went dry and his face slightly ashen. 

_Four years?_ He wanted to know the exact day, needed to know, but who could possibly remember when nightmares started? 

_Make him what? run outside and have to bring her inside because she was freaking out? And the way he had acted... it was obvious that whoever this Julia was, he cared about her._

_A lot._

She swallowed and started to stand. 

Derek reached out and caught her arm pulling her back down. 

"I'm fine." he lied. Mentally he was a wreck. 

That wasn't the point -- _well not the main one anyway_ -- but she didn't argue as she thought of that first time she had had the nightmare. 

"I had just come back from breaking a story in Amsterdam of all places," she murmured "Mom and Dad were visiting some friends and I had fallen asleep....." 

"It was in April." 

Derek closed his eyes for a moment. 

"April 21st?" he asked, feeling a sickening wave sweeping over him. 

Micha visible flinched and looked at him, blue gaze showing her confusion "How did you......?" 

_How did he know the date?_ A sick feeling started washing over her. 

"She's dead, isn't she?" she couldn't help but whisper, sitting rigidly even though she didn't pull away this time. She swallowed painfully and looked at her hands, which were now clenched and nails biting into the palms of her hands. 

The Julia he had called out to - she didn't know why but she felt certain the woman was dead. And if she died that day then... and then what? 

_Twins_.... whispered in her mind again. 

_Could it be possible_...? 

Derek swallowed answering her questions softly and simply. 

"Yes." He ran his hand through his hair "And apparently she was looking for me to help her." 

Micha looked at him and gently parted from him before she stood and walked to the kitchen. It scared her, how... calm she was acting now, even if it wasn't total calm. 

She could actually feel a part of her mind thinking this out, even while the other part of her was shaking. 

That wasn't all of it but she didn't want to tell him anymore. She had seen the look in his eyes... how his face had lost all color. 

She stood in front of the sink and turned on the faucet, her gaze going to the water that ran into and down the sink's drain. 

Even now she saw what had happened - _felt_ what had happened. 

Because, despite the fact that someone named Julia had gone through it, she had gone through it too. 

_Every last...... damned...... scary.... cold..... minute of it._

A streak of lightening lit up the sky and her gaze flinched up to the window, seeing the storm raging outside. 

Derek sat quietly watching her. He felt guilty. Guilty about making her feel this way. Guilt for allowing Julia to die as she had. Perhaps they should change the subject for the time being. 

Yes, that was a good idea. Get her mind off of the storm, get both their minds off it. 

He cleared his throat. 

"My name is Derek Rayne, by the way." he told her. 

His voice seemed to draw her attention from the storm and she turned to look at him, frowning a little as she thought for a long moment. Then she looked up and met his gaze, a tone of slow surprise in her tone as she corrected him "Derek Emory Rayne." 

Derek raised an eyebrow at her. 

"And how did you know that?" he asked curiously. 

"And if we are getting into specifics, there is a Dr. before all that or a PhD afterward." The edges of his mouth curved slightly, but he truly was curious how she knew his middle name. It had never been something he flaunted. 

A look of confusion swept over her face but she masked it, answering honestly "I don't know. I just.. did." 

She turned to the sink again, but this time to turn it off, knowing what it was she had to do. 

Micha didn't know what had happened tonight - not completely at any rate - but what she had read in her Aunt's Book of Shadows and with what had happened already, she knew there was no way around it and, somehow, somewhere, Derek Emory Rayne's showing up at her home couldn't possibly have been by accident. 

Lucky for her she actually believed in things like Fate. 

What she was having a hard time in swallowing or accepting was something else she had read in her Aunt's book. 

The woman had known, before it happened, that one of them would die. She also had her view on her nieces and had cited a list of works, documents and case studies that seemed to point in that direction. 

Micha turned back around and looked at ..... Derek and then went to the phone. 

"Hello?" her mother's voice spoke as she answered the phone. 

"Mom? It's Mike... I need to ask you something." 

"I know." her mother said, having known that the time to ask her questions would have come. She even sounded ready to answer them, which helped Micha in asking the question. 

"Did I...... have a sister?" 

"Yes, honey, you did." Mrs. Morgan answered, going into the information she knew about Micha's birth mother and the children she had had beside Micha. 

Micha listened and ran the back of her hand across her eyes, keeping the fact she was silently crying by now from her voice as she asked "Why did she give me up?" 

"She thought you were in danger honey. And she wouldn't tell me why but, well sweetheart, she believed it so much that she was willing to make sure you were safe." 

And she had felt her friends was the safest place for her daughter. 

They talked for a little while longer and then Micha promised to call her soon and that she loved them both - the only parents she had ever known..... and slowly hung up the phone. 

_Julia Michelle Walker._

Derek was near but she couldn't face him. 

Dr. Derek Emory Rayne..... PhD.... had known her sister, had even - if his reaction tonight was anything to go by - had loved her. 

And now he had his memory back. There was nothing really keeping him here and he probably had a life to get back to. 

She swallowed, hard, and turned to go upstairs. _She was going to find out about Julia, damnit, and then she was going to find out why... why what? why her birth mother had thought Micha had been in some kind of danger and gave her up while keeping Julia and a brother?_

The sound of thunder seemed to accentuate something within her and swiped the back of her hand against her eyes again, walking almost blindly toward the stairs. 

_She was a mess too_, a little thought drifted in her mind. _Ruined pantyhose, and she was dirty and soaked._

A small mirthless laugh escaped her numb lips. 

Derek watched and listened, taking in as much of what was going on as possible. He knew he needed to check in and let someone know where he was, but the fact was he still wasn't really sure himself. 

Also he was worried about Michaela, especially when she took off the way she did. He needed to know she was going to be all right. 

_And he still needed to ask her about the man_..... Derek froze for a moment. It didn't make sense, how could he be here? Was this town full of look alikes? 

Was it a town at all? This was all peculiar and intriguing and frightening. 

The one thing he knew for certain was that Michaela needed help and he was going to make sure she got it. 

He followed her up the stairs his ribs aching "Slow down a little would you?" 

Micha stopped in mid-step and just stood there, waiting, before hanging her head "I'm sorry." 

She had already taken off her shoes - couldn't remember when but there they were, hanging from her hands - and she tossed them into the doorway of her bedroom, now barefoot save for what remained of her stockings. 

Anyone looking at her, standing in the middle of the long hall, would have thought that, for once, Michaela Morgan looked small and alone. 

Of course, they wouldn't have known about the internal struggle going on inside of her as a forced mask of calm fell over her features and Micha raised her chin with at least as much determination as she could muster at the moment. 

"It's all right." Derek told her only slightly winded as he made his way up the steps "I'm just not as fast as I used to be, at the moment." 

He took a good look at her, catching a glimpse of the vulnerable young woman that stood before him. She was trying so hard to put on a brave face, but it didn't reach her eyes. 

Derek reached our and touched her shoulder hesitantly. 

"I'm sorry you never met her." he said softly "She was an extraordinary young woman. You are very much like her." 

Micha nodded slowly, without commenting. What was she supposed to say as she thought of what she had read from her Aunt's book? According to the woman, the two were part of each other..... literally. 

"I'm going to look up her records." she admitted "Whatever files I'm able to find.... do some studying." 

"Why don't you get some rest?" she ended up suggesting to him - more because she knew that things having to do with Julia would more than likely hurt him - and that wasn't something she wanted to do. 

_That and..... he might decide to leave in the morning when the weather cleared up_, she thought. _And he would need his rest if he did that._

She looked down at her hands and raised them a little and pointed out quietly "I look like something the cat dragged in... 'need a shower." 

_Maybe a shower would put her thoughts into more perspective too_. 

Or so she hoped. 

"I can work on the research while you're doing that." Derek offered "although I can probably tell you more than you would find in government and school records." 

Micha didn't want to put him through that and was ready to decline his offer. She raised her hand, ready to remove his hand from her shoulder and gently nudge him to bed -- that was, until her hand settled against his, drawing her gaze to it. 

He was the one that would know the most about her, she thought, looking at his hand. And maybe... maybe it would help him in a way if he could talk about his time with her. 

She found herself lowering her hand and looking back at him, nodding "All right, I'd like that." 

Derek nodded, a little surprised that she had accepted. For a moment he felt certain she wouldn't. 

"Where would you like to talk," he asked. 

He did not wish her to feel uncomfortable and so was leaving the decisions up to her. 

"How about your room? You can use the computer to pull up the school records if you want.. but I really need a shower." 

"All right." Derek agreed "But I should probably warn you that using computers is not my best skill." 

Her lips quirked at the admission before admitted "There's a program on there for finding information on people, called seek. Just type her name in and it'll pull up the information for you." 

Derek nodded, but somehow doubted it was that simple. After all he'd been told that before. 

Then the hint of a smile Micha had faltered as she met his gaze, giving him one last chance to pull out "Are you okay with this?" 

"If I wasn't I wouldn't have volunteered." he told her with a gentle smile. 

This time when she reached for his hand to take it off, she gave it a gentle squeeze, speaking quietly "Thank you." 

Then she released it and went to her room, movements and gaze solemn as she went to go take a shower. 

She came out of the shower and bathroom moments later, dressed in pajamas and towel drying her hair, her gaze falling on the Book of Shadows she had brought up the other night to read. 

Then she heard the sounds of movement in the background, coming from Adam's -- no, Derek's -- room and went to find out what he had managed to copy. 

And to hear about her sister.   
  


Derek had managed to get most of the information available to the general public, however there was other information that the Legacy had made certain was unavailable, for security sake. 

He looked up when she entered the room 

"It isn't much," he warned her "Just the basics." 

She couldn't help it and looked at the computer, only to chuckle as she picked up the papers he had printed out... and type in another command. 

The program started back up and went into some government files that were usually outside of public access. 

She looked at Derek and shrugged sheepishly before sitting down with what she had "Like I said... people don't even bother to ask me anymore." 

Derek smiled slightly as he stood carefully "Julia was good with computers too." 

Carrying both the towel she had been using and the papers he had gotten, she went to go sit on the foot of the bed, leaving him plenty of room to stretch out and relax while they talked. She laid out the pages, one by one in front of her on the bed and continued to dry her hair, reading. 

After a moment she frowned and looked to make sure it was Julia's name in the corner, only to make a thoughtful sound and go back to reading. She glanced up to make sure Derek was comfortable and to let him know he could start whenever he was ready. 

Derek settled himself comfortably on the bed with pillows propped behind him. 

"I guess the best thing to do would be for you to ask me what you want to know and then we can go from there." 

He had no idea where to start. 

Micha read through the records and could only shake her head as she looked at him, passing them to him in case he wanted to peek at it. 

"We studied the same subjects.... same grades..... liked doing the same things...." 

It was like looking in a mirror. 

"Even our medical records match... dislocated shoulder, tonsils... the mumps.." 

She caught a few lines in the report and grinned "She even did the photography/reporting stint. I just ended up doing it longer." 

"That is very typical of identical twins. Your DNA was the same, because you both came from the same egg, which split in two. You are two parts of the same person so to speak. There have been lots of studies that coroberate that." 

"Well, she had an abrupt career change her last year of school," Derek added "I hired her." 

Micha thought about what he said, having to do with twins, the passages her Aunt had written coming back to her. 

"Our Aunt said we were part of the same spirit..." she admitted, as if she were thinking it out loud instead of telling Derek, then she looked up and managed a smile when he mentioned the career change "I don't know. It's basically the same stuff that I ended up doing... except I maintained security through the lens and busted bad guys... she did it in the Luna Foundation. What did she do exactly?" 

Derek smiled softly, "Security and research and field work. Her duties varied. And although she did as you say "bust bad guys" I doubt it is exactly what you might think." 

"Maybe not." Micha found herself returning the smile, crossing her legs and leaning her elbows on them "Tell me more." 

Derek was quiet for a moment as he considered what exactly to tell her. 

"She was extremely bright and rather child like at times. I found her sliding down banisters more than once. She was at home on archeological digs and the most elegant parties." 

He paused for a moment smiling slightly "And she could shout rather loudly when the urge came over her." 

Micha blushed sheepishly as she tucked some hair behind an ear, only to feel the heat there and leave the hair where it was. That sounded a lot like herself. 

Derek smiled more broadly now "And though it was rare her ears also turned quite red at times." 

Something he had always found rather cute. 

Micha picked up a small pillow beside her and tossed it at him, not really using any force but feeling her ears warm even more at what sounded like a tease. 

Then she tilted her head to the side and asked curiously... as if she just might have a reason to find out "Did you have a lot of banisters to slide down?" 

There was one here, in the house she had inherited, and she had already tried out the 'sliding' factor - which was pretty good, but she wondered what he thought about such an action. 

"None of them were designed for sliding," Derek told her putting the pillow behind his head "But yes we had several." 

Then he frowned, wondering why he had spoken in the past tense. 

He rubbed his temple thoughtfully. 

"No comment." Micha chuckled before looking at him curiously and asking "Are you... will you be going home... since you're getting your memory back?" 

"I don't know," Derek told her honestly. "Not immediately, though I should   
try to let them know I'm all right. And I need to talk with you about that   
man you were with." 

"Drake.." she said, remembering the cell phone call and chewing her bottom lip thoughtfully. She was still confused about that. What had made him call her in the first place? 

She couldn't help it and asked him that exact question. As far as she knew, neither man knew the other one... and it was odd that Derek would call about a dangerous man before the other had even made his presence known to him. 

"What happened that made you call?" 

Derek hesitated before answering, debating on whether or not to tell her the truth. 

However, she was probably going to press things about Julia and for some reason he couldn't explain, he felt he could trust her. 

"I had a vision," Derek told her "And I recognized him...or thought I did." 

Maybe it was because of the whole situation so far, but she didn't find it hard to accept his answer. She didn't understand it, but she accepted it..... on faith. 

"Maybe you had a run in or two with him before." she suggested before noting his expression. She'd wait a few minutes before asking him if he wanted to stop. Right now it didn't seem like he did, and the topic was pretty serious. 

As if to add to that conclusion, Derek laughed a bit harshly. 

"Oh I have." he agreed "Perhaps, not him precisely, but someone who looks very much like him. Trust me though he is an extremely dangerous man and you need to stay away from him." 

"Well, I left." she pointed out and picking up the papers again "So whether he is or not, I wasn't around him. And I'm not saying you're wrong..... I actually find myself taking it to heart. But if he is as dangerous as you say, I want to look into his background. Especially considering he has his fingers in things like the orphanage." 

"What? That man shouldn't be allowed to have anything to do with Children!   
I think looking into things is a good idea. Just be careful he doesn't find   
out." 

Micha smiled a little and promised "He won't find out." 

She then looked at him thoughtfully, asking after a moment "What about you? What do you remember so far about yourself?" 

"Almost everything," Derek mused "Except how I ended up here. Something major must have happened, but damned if I know what it is. I do know that I'm the chairman of the Luna Foundation. I live on Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay, I'm 45 years old, I have a sister who is a nun in San Diego and my mother lives in Amsterdam,...The Netherlands, not New York. I teach occasionally. I went to Oxford." 

Micha blinked "Angel Island?" 

"Derek," she said after a moment's hesitation "The castle on Angel Island blew up. The news columns have different stories on what happened but..." 

"Blew up," Derek asked feeling very confused. A fleeting image of an   
explosion filled his mind. But why? How? 

Micha nodded and sat up from the bed "Hold on, I'll be right back." 

She went into her room and brought back the lap top, giving it to him to use so he didn't have to get back up. Then she went to the desktop and typed in a search option for Angel Island and the Luna Foundation. What came up made her blink but, thanks to the computer being linked to the lap top, it was a simple matter of a couple of clicks as she transferred the information over to him. 

Derek looked at the information reading it over. Slowly things began to fall into place. At least the others were all right. But...."They think I'm DEAD?" 

Micha went back to his bed and sat on the side, watching him going over the information and pointing out gently "If you were in that house... and with the way you're hurt I'd have to say you probably were, they probably do. There's nothing left of the house, even if they have started rebuilding it." 

She reached out and traced some hair from his forehead, looking at one of the cuts she hadn't bandaged up but was healing quite nicely. 

It was obvious she wasn't the only one going through a hard time and she wanted to do something to help him. 

"Should I.. call someone?" 

Derek swallowed, "Nick...Nick Boyle." But where would he be?" 

He cleared his throat "No...Rachel Corrigan. She didn't live at the house, she'll be   
easier to locate and she should know where he is." 

It appeared they were rebuilding. 

Micha nodded, having seen those names in reference to the Luna Foundation employees that had been stationed on the island "How about we take a break from twenty questions and you get some rest? I'll find them both and then you can decide what you want to do then." 

He had offered to tell her everything about Julia but Micha didn't want to add to his burden. And as much as he might try to deny it, he was feeling the effects of whatever it was he had been through, the healing process and now regaining his memory. 

She could wait. 

"All right," Derek agreed, he did feel rather drained. He made himself more comfortable on the bed and closed his eyes. "Well finish talking when I   
wake up." 

Micha tucked the blanket around him and then picked the papers and laptop up, moving quietly back to her room. 

She sat down on her bed and put the laptop on her lap, clicking over to the white pages to do a search for Corrigan, R or Rachel. 

A couple of hours later she had the information she wanted - including a local phone number and address for a Nick Boyle. Seems he had put up temp shop at the local hotel until the rebuilding was complete. 

With that done, and the information written on a note pad next to her, she got up to put the laptop on her dresser and maybe get some shut eye. 

Michaela..... 

She stopped and turned around, listening intently. Was Derek calling her? 

Her gaze went to the Book of Shadows. What the...? 

It was opened, when seconds ago it had been closed. She knew because she had set Julia's information right next to it. 

Now the pages were underneath the front cover. 

Micha went to it and picked it up - 

-- and the whisper she had heard earlier was louder, but not coming from Derek's room, and more in her head than out loud. 

"Michaela..." 

She hugged the open book and swallowed, turning toward her bedroom door and stepping slowly out into the hallway. 

And as she suspected, the door to the attic was open. 

Oh boy. 

"It is time..." the words floated down to her, surrounding her as the gentle power behind it guided first one foot and then the other to walk forward and up the stairs. 

There were two women standing there, at first facing each other and then turning toward her. 

Micha's heart lept into her throat as she recognized one of them. 

Of course, looking into a mirror image without a mirror kind of gave away the youngest of the two's identities, even as her logical mind came up with the thoughts of 'both women were not of this world' and 'they're dead.... they're not supposed to be here'. 

"Julia." she whispered, before a gasp escaped her as the book suddenly left her arms and floated over to the elder woman that made up this odd trio. 

Julia smiled at her and stepped forward, even as Micha did the same. 

"It's time." was all Julia said before stopping right in front of her. 

A warm glow filled the floor and both were suddenly in the middle of a pentagram as the older woman began to speak... 

"...spirits divided until this night, to save the One for the fight..." the words seemed to echo inside the attic, the 'twins' facing each other "Rejoin they shall, rejoin they must. To our fate we do entrust...." 

The woman continued reading from the Book of Shadows and Micha gasped as a small wind began around them, drawing Julia closer and IN to her! 

Micha's knees started to buckle, even as her lids grew heavy and started to   
fall. She didn't even feel herself fall when it finally happened. 

Derek had been dosing, when he was startled awake by a loud thud above him.   
He sat up and looked around. "Michaela?" 

There was no answer. He called out again to the same results. Moving   
slowly he got our of bed stiffly and headed into the hall. It didn't take   
him long to find the open attic door. 

"Michaela." he called up the stairs. 

Still no answer. 

Derek began to climb the stairs and when he reached the top, he looked   
around, spotting the woman right away. 

He rushed to her side and knelt down beside her. 

"Michaela." he called shaking her shoulder gently before checking her pulse and respiration. 

Micha stirred but it felt as if she were coming out of a deep sleep and not really sure she was actually waking up. 

That was....... until memories started slamming into her at a rate that had her gasping in reaction and holding on to the arms that were suddenly there. 

They were Julia's memories, all washing over her as they met and melded with her own. 

Childhood, school...college... meeting Derek... being hired.... 

"Legacy.." she whispered, only to flinch and still as the rest of the memories settled in and she could recall..... everything. 

Micha opened her eyes hesitantly and looked at where she was. And Derek was there...? 

"Where did she go?" she asked a little louder, her gaze going over to where her Aunt had stood before, only to see a kind of oak constructed conductor's stand and the Book of Shadows sitting upon it. 

"Who?" Derek asked looking around himself "I didn't see anyone else." 

He frowned, wondering how hard she had hit her head. 

_And how did she know about the Legacy?_ He hadn't told her any of that. 

Micha sat up and just looked at the book, then at the floor where she - now she and Derek were - and ran her fingers lightly over the wood. There was no sign of the pentagram. No sign of her Aunt. 

But she did feel a sign of Julia. Inside of her. 

"My Aunt," she replied quietly, looking at the palm of her hand "She was here. And so was..." 

Not was. _Still was._

Micha couldn't explain it and certainly didn't know how she was going to explain it to him, but she now knew what the passage she had read about divided spirits meant, and her Aunt's reference to it and her nieces. 

Micha was still Micha but.... 'whole' was the only word she could come up with. And unable to control it, she found herself sniffing as the urge to cry came over her. Not because of the loss of a twin she hadn't known, but because she had just literally been rejoined to a missing part of herself. A part she hadn't even been aware of being gone but was there and almost palpable. 

"She was right." she managed to murmur, referring to the splitting of souls. 

_How was she going to explain this to him?_

"Hey," Derek said gently, giving her a hug. He had no idea what she was going on about, but it was obviously affecting her "It's all right. Everything is going to be all right." 

Then he added. "I believe you." 

And he did, after all he'd seen much odder things in his time. 

Micha returned his hug, not even knowing how to explain what had happened or that, now, she could quote back to him anything that had happened between her - Julia - and Derek -- to the point it felt like she personally had been a part of it. 

But then again, with what had just happened and been said....... she had been. 

She closed her eyes. She didn't even know how to explain it to herself. 

Derek rubbed her back gently and glanced over to the large book. 

_That had been in Michaela's room, _he was sure of it. 

He wondered what exactly had happened "Can you tell me what your Aunt did to make you pass out?" 

"Rejoined our soul." she whispered, swallowing a sudden lump in her throat and staring at her hands. She wasn't sure she could look at him at the moment. _If she did... would he see...?_

"Rejoined?" Derek said thoughtfully. He slowly released Michaela and got up to retrieve tha book. Then he returned, sitting down beside her and putting one arm firmly about her. He looked down at the pages and read them over again, paying a lot more attention this time. 

"I'll be damned." he said softly as he read it and comprehension of sorts began to sink into his consciousness. 

She couldn't help it and chuckled softly, even as she continued to keep her gaze lowered, this time turned toward the book "I hope not." 

Derek chuckled now himself. 

"Me too," he agreed. "How do you feel? Were there any adverse affects that you can tell?" 

_Was Julia really in there?_

Micha finally looked up, slowly, and met his gaze as she answered "I'm okay. At least you're not yelling about what you're going to do with me this time." 

Her gaze moved to the cuts still visible on his face, troubled. Then, as if seeing them for the first time - because in a way she was - she reached up and tentatively touched the one over his left eyebrow. 

"The Portal." she found herself murmuring, the information coming from... well her 'Julia' side "You blew up the House to try and seal the Portal." 

"Yes," Derek confirmed "It was opening. I had no choice and I had to see ti through. The others are fine though. I made sure they were out of the house." 

Her gaze became troubled and she shook her head slowly "It wasn't sealed right. It has to be both of us - it's always had to be both of us. We're the Keepers." 

"Us?" Derek said confused. "Or you and...or you two?" 

"Us." she said, looking at him. She couldn't explain it except that she knew Julia/Micha was one spirit and Derek was the other "And with what we found out tonight... Derek we have to go back. We have to make sure it's sealed for good."   
  
  


**_Meanwhile......._**

The Alchamest slapped the silver goblet away, having seen the yolk turn red - which meant the One had been rejoined - and it was just a matter of time before their Path was shown to them -- if it hadn't been already. 

He had to tell Weinstin and Sasha. _Something had to be done to stop this from happening_!   
  
  


**_End of Episode Three_**   
**_join us next week_ for Episode Four "Showdown"**   
**Back**   



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